Self-adhering label

ABSTRACT

A self-adhering label having a protective covering member over an adhesive coating thereon and an aperture in one of two readily separable portions thereof capable of carrying data in written or coded form and a dispenser of such labels capable of automatically dispensing labels one at a time and removing the protective covering member prior to application of the label to an object.

O 1 Unite States Patent [1 1 [111 3,833,452

Boucris Sept. 3, 1974 [54] SELF-ADHERING LABEL 2,139,377 12/1938 Mull et al. 40/2 X 2,979,840 4/1961 E t 40 2 [75] Inventor: Hubert Boucl'lsr vlgmuxi France 2,987,840 6/1961 M zfr lizl l et al..... 40/2 73 Assigneez Compagnie Gena-ale 3,272,532 9/1966 Owen" 40/2 X DAutomotisme, Paris France 3,497,411 2/1970 Cheblnlak 161/406 [22] Filed: July 11, 1972 4 Primary Examiner-Wi11iam A. Powell [21] Appl' 270872 Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Craig & Antonelli Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 2,093, Jan. 12, 1970, Pat. No,

, [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 10, 1969 France 69.00299 A self-adhering label having a protective covering member over an adhesive Coating thereon and an ap- [52] US. Cl 161/112, 40/2 R, 40/125 A, ertu're in one of two readily separable portions thereof 161 167, 161/406 capable of carrying data in written or coded form and [51] Int. Cl B32b 3/10 a dispenser of such labels capable of automatically dis- [58] Field of Search 16 1/ 167, 406, 112, 413; pensing labels one at a time and removing the protec- 40/2 R, 125 A -tive covering member prior to application of the label to an object. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Knoble 1. 40/2 X 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures sum 1 nr 3,833,452

PATENTED S 3 I974 PATENTEDSEP 31914 3.883.452

' sum BM 3 FIG.3

SELF-ADHERING LABEL This is a division, of application Ser. No. 2,093 filed Jan. 12, 1970 now the US. Pat. No. 3,695,981.

The present invention relates generally to the labeling of products and objects of any type.

It is known in the art to use labels, one surface of which is coated with an adhesive product and wherein this surface is covered with a detachable protective support. The protective support is drawn off when the label is used, which is accomplished either manually or mechanically.

There is known label dispensing apparatus which mechanically separate the protective support from the label and which operate either on continuous bands of labels, often in the form of rolls, or on labels which are provided in these apparatus one byone. It is the aim of the present invention to make use of labels which are provided in an apparatus in the form of a stack or pile.

In the first place, the present invention is concerned with and directed to a label which is characterized by the fact that it comprises a base member having a selfadhering portion and a portion which is easily detachable from the self-adhering portion; this detachable portion and possibly also the self-adhering portion being provided to receive inscriptions either in visually readable language or in code; this label comprising moreover a protective paper covering the self-adhering portion and slightly projecting thereover on the side opposite that of the detachable portion, and an apertur'e.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coded inscriptions are of the magnetic type and are placed on either one or several zones coated with a magnetizable product on this detachable portion, and the detachable portion being constituted in this manner may then be utilized for the automatic treatment of information or data provided thereon.

In the second place, the presentinvention is concerned with and directed to a mechanical distributor which makes use ofthe aforementioned labels and which is characterized by the fact that it comprises a storing member for storing these labels by stacking the same, which member is equipped at the lower part thereof with an opening permitting the passage of a single label, and with means for dispensing the labels one by one; means for seizing or gripping the projecting part of the protective paper and withdrawing this protective paper from the self-adhering portion by preventing the extraction of the label completely from the aforementioned storage member while stripping the protective cover therefrom; the label having the selfadhering portion thereof being ready to be applied to the object that is intended to be labeled, and an operating member which actuates all of the aforementioned means. The means for seizing or gripping and withdrawing the portective paper are characterized by the fact that they are arranged in a manner such that start-, ing with this operating member alone the means seizing or gripping the protective paper withdraw it from the self-adhering portion and then release it after it has been completely removed.

According to a preferred embodiment of the distributor according to the present invention, the means for withdrawing or removing the protective paper comprise two jaws which are movable around the same axis,

and specifically an upper jaw and a lower jaw; the upper jaw is actuated by a small rod connected to the operating member, and the lower jaw is elastically held against the upper jaw but may be disengaged therefrom by means of another small rod and abutments.

The means for dispensing the labels one by one consist of a movable finger actuated by the operating member and cooperating with the aperture that is provided in the label, the height thereof being smaller than the thickness of the label, and a passage calibrated to the thickness of the label preceded by an inclined face or side.

The study of one embodiment of the invention illustrated in the figures described below will render possible a better understanding of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the distributor proposed by the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the'operation of the aforementioned jaws;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating theoperation of the aforementioned movable finger;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, at a greatly enlarged scale, of the movable finger and the calibrated passage, and

, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the jaws.

The label shown in FIG. 1 comprises a layer 1 composed of a portion 2 whose back surface is selfadhering due to an adhesive coating thereon, and a portion 3 which may carry information or data, these two portions being rendered easily separable by virtue of a perforation 4, and a protective paper 5 covering the rear surface of the layer 1 and slightly projecting (portion 6) over the side of the portion 2; an aperture 7 located preferably in the center of the portion 2 is utilized by the distributor for drawing out or dispensing a label, as will be further described hereinafter.

The information or data provided on the portion 3 may either be in visually readable language or in magnetic coded form by virtue of the provision of bands 8 and 8 of magnetizable material. The same data may be repeated in readable or coded language on portion 2.

and 13 articulated around the fixed axle 23, an operating lever 15, and a handle 16.

Furthermore, a pressing means 11 holds the labels quite flatly within the reservoir 10, a ratchet 17 makes it possible to retain the pressing meansll in a disengaged position during supply of the distributor with labels, and a brush 14, for example, of felt, serves to apply the adhesive portion of the label onto the object to be labeled.

The operation of the means for withdrawing or removing the protective paper 5 from the label will be described in connection with the diagram of FIG. 3. The upper jaw 12 and the lower jaw 13 are articulated around the fixed axle 23. The movement of the upper jaw 12 is produced by the small rod 21 which connects this jaw to the operating lever 15. In a first movement, the lever 15 being pulled against the handle l6 (FIG. 1) by pivoting around an axle 27 actuates the small rod 21 and hence the upper jaw 12 in a downward direction. The lower jaw 13 will thereupon be actuated downward intum by the upper jaw 12, a spring 25 exerting a tightening stress or force between the two jaws. This first movement is divided into three actions:

1. Only the upper jaw 12 is displaced until it comes in contact with the lower jaw 13 which, by means of the rear part thereof, had been supported against the abutment 22; the end 6 of the protective paper is then taken between these two jaws.

2; The two jaws l2 and 13 are then displaced downwardly simultaneously. It should be noted that then the end 31 of the small rod 24 which is guided in a groove 30 integral with the lower jaw 13 is displaced with respect thereto. The protective paper 5 is gripped at portion 6 by the jaws 12 and 13 and separates from the self-adhering portion of the label as the paper 5 is pulled downwardly.

3. When the'end 31 of the small rod 24 arrives at the lower end of the groove 30, it abuts against the latter and entrains the lower jaw 13 which effects a displacement greaterthan that of the upper jaw 12 which is actuated by the small rod 21; these two jaws 12 and 13 thus are progressively separated from each other and free the protective paper which must then be found to be totally withdrawn from the storage member 10.

In the course of the second part of this movement, as described above, the protective paper has taken along the self-adhering portion which had adhered thereto and which new projects upwardly, and had then slipped against the detachable portion which remains at the inside of the distributor. It is then possible to apply the self-adhering portion which now projects upwardly in front of the brush 14 onto the object which is to be labeled with the aid of the brush 14 (FIG. 2), and then to withdraw the remainder of the label which was still being held in the storing member.

The return movement of the operating lever 15 is accomplished, for example, under the action of a return spring (not shown). During this movement, which is shown in FIG. 4,.a new label is being extracted from the reservoir 10 in a manner such that the end 6 of this label will come to be positioned between the two jaws bel, the orifice 51 starts with an inclined side or face 52 which allows particularly for pressing back into shape and for allowing the passage of a slightly crumpled la bel.

In order to better grip or seize the end 6 of the pro tective paper of the label, the gripping parts of the jaws have the configuration such as shown in FIG. 6. The upper jaw 12 comprises a longitudinal triangular groove 61 and the lower jaw 13 comprises widely spaced teeth 62 whose cross section is identical to that of the groove 61 and which are placed opposite to the latter.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to but a single embodiment, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific details thereof, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as would be apparent to one with normal skill in the pertinent technology.

What I claim is:

1. A label for use in an automatic label dispenser, said label comprising: a base member having a perforation therein dividing said base member into first and second readily separable portions, at least said first portion having an adhesive coating on one of its surfaces, a flexible protective covering member covering at least said adhesive coating and projecting slightly beyond the edge of said base member at least at one point of the circumference thereof, a through aperture provided in said first portion of "said base member, a magnetizable material coated along at least one area of said 12 and 13 when they have returned into the initial posior guides this label 50 during the remainder of the course or path thereof. The detail shown at an enlarged scale in FIG. 5 illustrates that the height of the finger 43 must be smaller than the thickness of a label so as to entrain only the one lable at the bottom of the stack or pile. On the other hand, the orifice 51 arranged'at the bottom of the reservoir 10 is calibrated to the thickness of a label. In order to facilitate the exit of this lasecond portion of said base member, and a through ap- '3. A label as defined in claim 2, wherein the coatings of magnetizable material are provided on the same side of said base member.

4. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein the surface of said first portion of said base member opposite the surface carrying said adhesive coating is coated along at least one area thereof with a magnetizable material.

5. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein said base member is substantially rectangular in configuration.

6. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein said through aperture in said first portion is disposed substantially centrally thereof.

7. A label ad defined in claim 6, wherein said flexible protective covering member projects beyond the edge of said first portion of said base member. 

1. A label for use in an automatic label dispenser, said label comprising: a base member having a perforation therein dividing said base member into first and second readily separable portions, at least said first portion having an adhesive coating on one of its surfaces, a flexible protective covering member covering at least said adhesive coating aNd projecting slightly beyond the edge of said base member at least at one point of the circumference thereof, a through aperture provided in said first portion of said base member, a magnetizable material coated along at least one area of said second portion of said base member, and a through aperture provided in said protective covering member in alignment with said through aperture in said first portion of said base member to facilitate automatic dispensing of the label from the label dispenser.
 2. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein the surface of said first portion of said base member opposite the surface carrying said adhesive coating is coated along at least one area thereof with a magnetizable material.
 3. A label as defined in claim 2, wherein the coatings of magnetizable material are provided on the same side of said base member.
 4. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein the surface of said first portion of said base member opposite the surface carrying said adhesive coating is coated along at least one area thereof with a magnetizable material.
 5. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein said base member is substantially rectangular in configuration.
 6. A label as defined in claim 1, wherein said through aperture in said first portion is disposed substantially centrally thereof.
 7. A label ad defined in claim 6, wherein said flexible protective covering member projects beyond the edge of said first portion of said base member. 